Part of the process for growing and getting better within any creative field is having an internal gauge for the work you produce, independent of public praise. It's far too easy to get caught up in popularity contests where praise inflates your ego to a point where you become stagnant in your growth.
As imaginative people working in creative fields, we not only have to learn how to handle criticism well, but we must stay grounded and always keep things in perspective, seeing the entire picture throughout the ebbs and flows of our creative path. The work and process must motivate you. Fully celebrate your victories but don't get complacent.
" If you are doing something primarily for money and without a real emotional commitment, it will translate into something lacking a soul and no connection to you. You may not see this, but you can be sure that the public will feel it and that they will receive your work in the same lackluster spirit it was created in." - Robert Greene.
Below, I discuss the one major photo blunder that is difficult to become aware of since it relates to the nuances of the face and the interplay of light, shadow, texture.
BAD PHOTOSHOP
This issue is probably the most prevalent within the industry because it's complex and combines different skills to become proficient. It is estimated that roughly only 5-10% of photoshop retouchers have the fundamental skills to deliver professional high-end retouching results. That small percentage of people is in high demand by other working professionals and companies.
Whether you're a model or are involved with projects that require photography of people, try to be mindful of the small details and how they relate to the whole of your images. There is a flurry of misleading visuals and information floating around that constantly get reinforced by recognition. The more refined your ability to SEE becomes, the quicker your career or business can grow since you are better equipped to handle the information overload.
The human face has natural textures, tones, curvatures/contours, and subtleties of light and shadow. If the individual handling your image isn't attuned to these nuances, they will undoubtedly degrade the quality of your photograph by using photoshop tools in all the wrong ways. Major things go unnoticed to the untrained eye of the general public, but as you keep elevating your creativity and more is at stake for projects you are a part of, the small details start to matter even more.
It is one thing to intentionally make creative conceptual decisions about a person's face, such as what you see in beauty campaigns by cosmetic companies; however, that is by choice, per the client's request, and should never be from a lack of a skillset.
I've stated before that one of the reasons I shoot with film is because it produces a distinctly natural look that gives me the option not to retouch. I consciously choose to take that approach. Still, with that said, I know I have the skillset to retouch to high standards when a client's project calls for that, and I'm plugged in with the proper people to make it happen if I don't have the time or needed help.
Just for perspective, high-end retouchers working with a photographer on images for a beauty campaign can work on just one photo for upwards of 8+ hours. In something like a L'OREAL ad, that one image you see went through hours and hours of intensive hand-crafted labor stages and revisions. There are no shortcuts!
Takeaway: Know the end goals for the type of photos you want to be created to minimize photoshop blunders. Understanding your needs will narrow down choices, save you time & money and help you make better-informed decisions for the standard within the work you're trying to achieve. Not every image has to be fancy, complex, or take a long time; the key is to become conscious of the creative decisions being made and whether you agree with them. After all, it's your image, brand, and livelihood at stake; it's worth the extra effort to become aware. Sometimes we have to take a step back to move forward.
Positives: The skills needed to learn and elevate one's game are within reach for anyone willing to continually search.